Ben Franklin invests $396K in innovation projects

Ben Franklin Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania has approved $395,600 in regional economic development funding for a list of companies in the Lehigh Valley and northeastern Pennsylvania.

Five Lehigh Valley companies were among those awarded investments by Bethlehem-based Ben Franklin Partners:

•MindBridge Innovations LLC, Allentown: Awarded $35,000 to complete a new sales strategy, revise financial models, and finish software development for its Coach AL interface between patients, physicians, therapists for the company's OrthoBike therapy system. The system helps with rehabilitation following hip and knee replacements, in addition to other lower extremity surgeries.

•Orbweaver Sourcing LLC, Bethlehem: Awarded $30,000 to finish work on a real-time supplier pricing infrastructure module in a cloud-based software solution for electronic circuit-board manufacturers. The module is designed to increase efficiency.

• TSG Software, Bethlehem: Awarded $25,000 to implement processes to significantly increase marketing and sales lead generation in commercializing software for business cleaning services, property and facility managers and building management contractors.

•Lutron Electronics, Coopersburg: Awarded $25,000 in matching funding to work with Lehigh University's Enterprise Systems Center to complete design and implementation of an improved, streamlined service scheduling system for this supplier of light-control products for individual and corporate customers.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners is a state-funded program that provides assistance primarily to startups. The organization, based at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, provides operating funds for a network of business incubators that nurture fledgling companies by providing low-cost office and laboratory space and other assistance.

It also supports technology development at mature companies through matching grants coupled with college and university partners.